Morrisons raise £1k in mum’s memory

A young mum who died when her son was just a year old is being remembered by colleagues where she worked at Morrisons in Castleford.

Jodie Barnaby, 25, died in July 2014 – just months after finding out she had terminal cancer.

Colleagues at her Morrisons store on Albion Road have been fundraising to mark the third anniversary of her death.

They held a fun day, sponsored walk and head shave in her honour.

And they have raised more than £1,000 in aid of CLIC Sargent, which supports children and young people with cancer and helped Jodie after her diagnosis.

Her father Ray Nuth, who works at Morrisons Knottingley, was delighted after staff voted to make the organisation the supermarket chain’s charity partner earlier this year.

Jodie’s mum Gillian said: “Ray was over the moon when he found out. The charity helped us so much after Jodie was diagnosed and had so much empathy.

“I don’t know how they do the job they do, because before Jodie was diagnosed I didn’t realise how many young people are affected by cancer.”

Jodie had an ovarian cyst removed in 2012 and fell pregnant soon after.

She dismissed back pain as a pregnancy symptom but when it continued after the birth of son Lewis, she went for further tests and discovered she had cancer in her lungs, kidneys, ovaries and lymph nodes.

Gillian said: “Lewis was born in June 2013 and she found out in November 2013 that it was terminal. It was the worst news that I have ever heard.

“Her husband Adam and I were with her at the appointment when she was told.

“She just asked ‘What do you mean you can’t do anything for me?’. It was heartbreaking.

“As a mum, it is my job to protect my kids, and there was nothing I could do for Jodie.

“I always think about the things she could be doing if she was here. She should be spending time with Lewis and Adam - seeing Lewis’ first day at school and watching him in the nativity.”

Morrisons hope to raise £8m for CLIC Sargent over the next three years and have already reached the £1m milestone.